Capital Eye Opener, August 31: Marriott For Romney, Ryan’s Ad-Friendly Zinger and More

MARRIOTT’S FOR ROMNEY: When Mitt and Ann Romney and more than 100 family members, close and far-flung, arrived in Tampa this week, they headed for the 27-story hotel just across the street from the hall where Romney would give his acceptance speech last night: the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina.

No surprise that Marriott would get the nod. As OpenSecrets Blog noted in June, it’s been the Romney campaign’s preferred place of lodging, and the ties between the families go way back. Romney was even given his first name, Willard, in tribute to the hotel chain’s founder, J. Willard Marriott, who was a friend of Romney’s father.

Top Marriott brass J.W. and Richard — chairmen of the board of Marriott International and Host Hotels and Resorts, respectively, which were originally parts of the same company — have each given $1 million to the pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future. Richard and his wife have given $10,000 directly to Romney this cycle, maxing out, while J.W. and his spouse have contributed $9,130.

Overall, Marriott International employees and their spouses, along with company PACs, have given Romney nearly $155,000 for his 2012 White House race, making the company his No. 19 donor. The equivalent figure for Host Hotels is $18,000.

As for Obama, Marriott employees and their spouses have given him just $14,720 in 2011-2012, and he’s received no contributions from Host.

ROMNEY’S GAMBLE PAYS OFF: It’s been a long four years for Mitt Romney. And apparently things could have ended up much differently for the Massachusetts Republican.

This much is clear from a New York Times piece that details Romney’s phoenix-like rise from the political ashes of the 2008 GOP presidential primary. According to the report, Romney started his road back to prominence by turning down a job offer to run Tiger Management, a titanic hedge fund run by Julian Robertson, a job that would have likely paid more than $30 million.

Now it seems that Romney’s gamble seems to have paid off in more ways than one. Not only did he find his way back to the top of the Republican party, but Romney also brought Robertson and his millions along with him. Or rather, a super PAC did: Robertson has personally donated $1.25 million to Restore Our Future, a super PAC that’s focused on helping Romney win the White House, and which is run by aides that worked on his 2008 presidential run.

The donations came in late 2011 and early 2012, during the heat of the GOP presidential primary race, and likely helped Romney fend off challenges from competitors such as Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich and, finally, Rick Santorum.

And unlike many other GOP mega super PAC donors, Robertson has stuck by Romney, giving only to Restore, as well as handing off a $2,500 check to Romney’s presidential campaign committee.

“College graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms, staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life,” said Ryan. And to wit: Not 12 hours later did it appear online in a new political advertisement run by the shadow political nonprofit Crossroads Generation.

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